Footwear and Related Methods of Manufacturing Same

ABSTRACT

Footwear and related methods of manufacturing the same are provided herein. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of manufacture of footwear is provided. The method includes providing a upper, the upper defining a lower perimeter. An outsole is provided, the outsole including a lip extending along the upper perimeter of the outsole. A thread is stitched through the lower perimeter of the upper and at least a portion of the lip of the outsole whereby a foot receiving space is defined between the upper and the outsole. A last is inserted into the foot receiving space defined by the upper and the outsole to set the shape of the upper.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are a wide variety of methods to manufacture footwear. Suchmethods generally involve some manner of attaching an upper and anoutsole. A common approach to manufacturing footwear is the utilizationof cemented construction. With a cemented footwear construction, theupper is lasted over an insole with the outsole then cemented thereto.Although this construction is relatively durable, resulting footwear isquite heavy and the process generates considerable waste. Therefore, amore simplified method of manufacture would be desirable in which morelightweight footwear can be manufactured.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In general, the present disclosure is directed improved footwear andrelated methods of manufacturing the same.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of manufacture offootwear is provided. The method includes providing an upper thatdefines a lower perimeter. An outsole is provided that defines a lipextending along the upper perimeter of the outsole. A thread is stitchedthrough the lower perimeter of the upper and at least a portion of thelip of the outsole whereby a foot receiving space is defined between theupper and the outsole. A last is inserted into the foot receiving spacedefined by the upper and the outsole to set the shape of the upper.

In still another embodiment, an article of footwear is provided whichincludes an upper defining a lower perimeter. An outsole is providedhaving a lip extending along the upper perimeter of the outsole. Theupper is attached to the outsole by thread along the lower perimeter ofthe upper and at least a portion of the lip of the outsole whereby afoot receiving space is defined between the upper and the outsole.

Other features and aspects of the present disclosure are discussed ingreater detail below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A full and enabling disclosure of the present disclosure, including thebest mode thereof to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth moreparticularly in the specification, including reference to theaccompanying Figures in which:

FIG. 1 represents an embodiment of a shoe in accordance with the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 2 represents an embodiment of a portion of a shoe in accordancewith the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 represents an embodiment of an interface between an outsole andan upper in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 represents an embodiment of a sandal in accordance with thepresent disclosure.

Repeat use of reference characters in the present specification anddrawings is intended to represent the same or analogous features orelements of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It is to be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that thepresent discussion is a description of exemplary embodiments only, andis not intended as limiting the broader aspects of the presentdisclosure, which broader aspects are embodied in the exemplaryconstruction.

Generally, the present disclosure is described in connection with acasual shoe. A footwear construction of the present disclosure isillustrated in FIGS. 1-3 and designated 10. In general, shoe 10 caninclude an upper 20 secured to an outsole 30. Upper 20 can be secured tooutsole 30 with stitching 22 along the lower perimeter 21 of upper 20.An optional footbed (not shown) can be utilized as well.

Referring to FIG. 3, an outsole 30 is illustrated in accordance with oneembodiment of the present disclosure. Outsole 30 includes a surface 32and lip 34. Surface 32 includes a side surface 36 and bottom surface 39and top surface 40. Lip 34 extends upwardly from side surface 36 aboutperimeter 38 of outsole 30. Lip 34 can be present at a portion ofoutsole perimeter 38, or along the entirety of outsole perimeter 38.Outsole 30 and lip 34 can be unitary so as to be formed from one-pieceof material.

One purpose for lip 34 is to receive stitching 22, as shown in FIGS. 1and 2, for attaching an upper 20 to outsole 30. Lip 34 can measure fromabout 1 mm to about 10 mm from said outsole perimeter 38 to upper edgeof lip 34. Thread 28 or other stitching material may be stitched intolip 34. Additionally, upper 20 can be positioned flush with side surface36 if positioned at lip 34. In some embodiments, stitching 22 can belocated about 0.5 mm to about 10 mm from upper lip edge 44. Lip 34 canbe wide enough so as to accommodate stitching 22 and thread 28 ofvarious widths and sizes.

Outsole 30 can be manufactured from ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) orrelatively hard rubber or other sufficiently durable and wear-resistantmaterial. In certain embodiments, outsole 30 can have a Shore A hardnessfrom about 45 to about 90. In some embodiments, outsole 30 can have aShore A hardness from about 50 to about 80. In some embodiments, outsole30 can have a Shore A hardness from about 55 to about 75. Top surface 40of outsole 30 forms a foot receiving surface and is contoured to suit awearer's foot, either with or without an optional footbed. The bottomsurface 39 can be textured to improve the traction and aesthetic appealof the shoe.

With reference to FIG. 1, an upper 20 can include vamp 24, collar 25,mudguard (not shown), and lower perimeter 21. Upper 20 can bemanufactured from wool, leather, canvas, polymeric materials, or othersuitable materials and may include other conventional accessories.Different types of leather can include full grain, corrected, crazyhorse, nubuc, cow, pig, deer, elk, moose, bison, goat, sheep, sherling,bovine, or any other type of leather as would be known in the art. Insome embodiments, an upper 20 can be about 50 percent by weight to about99 percent by weight wool. In certain embodiments, an upper 20 can beabout 65 percent by weight to about 75 percent by weight wool. Incertain embodiments, an upper can be 1 percent by weight to about 50percent by weight polyester. In certain embodiments, an upper can be 25percent by weight to about 35 percent by weight polyester.

Upper 20 is constructed such that lower perimeter 21 can be stitchedinto lip 34 of outsole 30. In some embodiments, as in FIGS. 1 and 2, thelower perimeter 21 covers the entirety of the outsole perimeter 38. Inother embodiments, as in FIG. 4, the lower perimeter 21 only covers aportion of outsole perimeter 38.

Any suitable thread can be used for stitching. In some embodiments,nylon thread can be utilized. One or more stitch lines can be utilizedto secure an upper 20 to lip 34 of outsole 30. In some embodiments,lower perimeter 21 of an upper 20 can be thinner than the remainder ofthe upper. In certain embodiments, reinforcement taping can be presenton lower perimeter 21 of an upper 20 and lip 34. Such reinforcementtaping can aid in the securement of lower perimeter 21 and upper 20.

Upper 20 and outsole 30 define a foot receiving space when stitchedtogether. In certain embodiments, the weight of each shoe 10 is fromabout 0.1 lbs to about 0.5 lbs. For example, in certain embodiments inwhich the shoes do not have a footbed present, the weight of each shoe10 can be from about 0.2 lbs to about 0.4 lbs and, in certainembodiments, from about 0.25 lbs to about 0.35 lbs. The footwear of thepresent disclosure weigh less than similar shoes constructed using othermethods.

A liner (not shown) can be secured to the inner portion of an upper 20so as to contact a wearer's foot. This liner can optionally extend thefull length and/or width of an upper 20 or some portion thereof. Linercan be formed from acrylic, fleece, cotton, mesh, nylon, CAMBRELLE®,twill, canvas, polyester, wool, flannel, terry cloth, soy, bamboo, hemp,cotton, flax, cellulose, leather, foam, sherling, combinations thereof,or any other material as would be known in the art.

A foot bed can be optionally utilized in accordance with the presentdisclosure. The foot bed can be constructed from EVA foam, or any othersuitable cushioning material. The rigidity and the flexibility of theEVA foam can be varied from application to application as desired. Thefoot bed can be secured to the outsole 30 as desired to ensure it doesnot move within the upper. In embodiments which include a footbed, theweight of each shoe can be from about 0.25 lbs to about 0.45 lbs and, incertain embodiments, from about 0.3 lbs to about 0.4 lbs. With theoptional footbed, the weight of the shoe 10 is still less than shoesmanufactured by conventional methods.

Manufacture of the shoe 10 will now be described. Upper 20 ismanufactured using generally conventional techniques and apparatus. Thedesired upper material is cut to form the upper, including its elements,such as the vamp. Pieces of an upper can be fitted and sewn together ifnecessary or a unitary piece of material can be utilized to form anupper. In some embodiments, a center seam is preferred when the upper isstitched together. In other embodiments, a butt seam, inseam withwhipstitch, zigzag stitch, or the like can be utilized. In addition,material can be perforated, overlayed, underlayed, laser cut, or thelike.

Outsole components can be injection molded or pour molded from asuitable material as described herein using conventional moldingapparatus. The tread pattern on bottom surface 39 of the outsole, aswell as lip 34 extending upwardly from side surface 36 about theperimeter 38 of outsole 30 can be formed during the molding operation.Optionally these features, as well as any contours or shapes of theoutsole components, can be molded into outsole 30. The outsolecomponents may be trimmed as desired to ensure fit with an upper 20.

Upper 12 and outsole 30 may be stitched together using conventionalapparatus. As noted above, one or more stitching threads 28 runs throughthe lower perimeter of the upper 21 and at least a portion of lip 34 ofthe outsole 30 so as to define a opening 46 between an upper 20 andoutsole 30. A machined lock stitch is preferred but any stitch as wouldbe known in the art can be utilized such as a hand stitch or the like solong as the stitching adequately secures the upper to the outsole. Incertain embodiments, nylon reinforcement tape can be affixed to thelower perimeter of the upper. Suitable methods of affixing include heatsealing or cementing the tape to the lower perimeter of the upper.

A last is inserted in the opening between an upper and outsole. As isknown in the art, lasting involves tightly shaping the upper over thecontour of a last, a piece of wood or synthetic material roughlyfollowing the shape of the foot and acting as a form on which the shoeis made. The upper is heated with a last inserted so as to form thedesired shape and/or desired size. In some embodiments, it is importantto heat the upper and last to between about 60° C. and about 70° C. forbetween about 15 minutes and about 20 minutes. In this regard,temperature can be important because hotter temperatures can result inthe upper to shrink. In certain embodiments, an upper can be heated bysteam. The last is removed and the shoe is allowed to cool.Additionally, the upper can be wet shrunk on the last as would be knownto one of ordinary skill in the art

In some embodiments, a footbed can be inserted within the openingbetween an upper 21 and the outsole 30.

Finishing steps can include spraying the footwear with any desiredtreatment such as a mold prevention treatment, water proofing treatment,or the like.

Any references to claim elements in the singular, for example, using thearticles “a,” “an,” “the,” or “the,” is not to be construed as limitingthe element to the singular.

These and other modifications and variations to the present inventionmay be practiced by those of ordinary skill in the art, withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the present invention, which ismore particularly set forth in the appended claims. In addition, itshould be understood that aspects of the various embodiments may beinterchanged both in whole or in part. Furthermore, those of ordinaryskill in the art will appreciate that the foregoing description is byway of example only, and is not intended to limit the invention sofurther described in such appended claims.

1. A method of manufacture of footwear, comprising: providing a upper,said upper defining a lower perimeter; providing an outsole, saidoutsole including a lip extending along the upper perimeter of saidoutsole; stitching thread through said lower perimeter of said upper andat least a portion of said lip of said outsole whereby a foot receivingspace is defined between said upper and said outsole; inserting a lastinto said foot receiving space defined by said upper and said outsole toset the shape of said upper.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein saidupper comprises a wool blend.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the stepof providing a upper further comprises cementing nylon reinforcementtape to the lower perimeter of said upper.
 4. The method of claim 1,wherein said upper comprises leather.
 5. The method of claim 1, whereinsaid upper comprises a polymeric material.
 6. The method of claim 1,wherein said upper further comprises a liner material.
 7. The method ofclaim 1, wherein said outsole comprises ethylene vinyl acetate having aShore A hardness from about 45 to about
 90. 8. The method of claim 1,wherein said thread comprises nylon.
 9. The method of claim 1, whereinthe step of inserting a last further comprises applying heat to saidlast.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein said heat comprises steam. 11.The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a contoured footbedand positioning said footbed within said foot receiving space defined bysaid upper and said outsole.
 12. A method of manufacture of footwear,comprising: providing a upper, said upper defining a lower perimeter;providing an ethylene vinyl acetate outsole having a Shore A hardness offrom about 50 to about 80, said outsole comprising a lip measuring fromabout 2 mm to about 6 mm and extending along the upper perimeter of saidoutsole; stitching thread through said lower perimeter of said upper andat least a portion of said lip of said outsole whereby a foot receivingspace is defined between said upper and said outsole; inserting a lastinto said foot receiving space defined by said upper and said outsoleand applying heat to said last to set the shape of said upper.
 13. Themethod of claim 12, wherein the step of providing a upper furthercomprises providing a leather upper with nylon reinforcement tapecemented to the lower perimeter of said upper, said tape beingsandwiched between said lip and said upper so as to not be visible whensaid upper and said outsole are stitched together.
 14. The method ofclaim 12, wherein said upper comprises leather.
 15. The method of claim12, wherein said upper comprises a polymeric material.
 16. The method ofclaim 12, wherein said upper further comprises a liner material.
 17. Anarticle of footwear comprising: an upper, said upper defining a lowerperimeter; an outsole, said outsole having a lip extending along theupper perimeter of said outsole; said upper being attached to saidoutsole by thread along said lower perimeter of said upper and at leasta portion of said lip of said outsole whereby a foot receiving space isdefined between said upper and said outsole.
 18. The article of footwearof claim 17, wherein said upper comprises wool.
 19. The article offootwear of claim 17, wherein said upper comprises leather.
 20. Thearticle of footwear of claim 17, wherein said upper comprises apolymeric material.
 21. The article of footwear of claim 17, whereinsaid outsole comprises ethylene vinyl acetate having a Shore A hardnessfrom about 45 to about
 90. 22. The article of footwear of claim 17,wherein said lip measures from about 2 mm to about 6 mm.
 23. The articleof footwear of claim 17, further comprising a contoured footbedpositioned within said foot receiving space defined between said upperand said outsole.
 24. The article of footwear of claim 17, wherein saidarticle of footwear weighs from about 0.1 lbs to about 0.5 lbs.
 25. Thearticle of footwear of claim 17, wherein said article of footwear weighsfrom about 0.25 lbs to about 0.35 lbs.